SOLVED. Middle grade book with dog named Nellie, probably 90s. [s]

[Stephanie]

I read this in middle school in 1999/2000 and I think it was fairly recent. The main detail is that she names her new puppy "Nellie" because she's trying to think of names that rhyme with "Smelly." Another possible detail is that her dad took away her first puppy when she couldn't get it housebroken. I think the cover showed a girl and a puppy that looked like a black or chocolate lab, but I know there were different hardcover/paperback editions.

[Ayshe]

Protecting Marie by Kevin Henkes? I searched inside on Amazon for smelly: And how she sang, "Smelly, smelly, smelly... Nellie." And that was how the puppy got its name...

[Stephanie]

Ayshe wrote: "Protecting Marie by Kevin Henkes?
Yep, that's it! It was right on the tip of my tongue. Thank you.